US9412280B1 - Cooperative system and method for precise autonomous delivery - Google Patents
Cooperative system and method for precise autonomous delivery Download PDFInfo
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- US9412280B1 US9412280B1 US14/934,025 US201514934025A US9412280B1 US 9412280 B1 US9412280 B1 US 9412280B1 US 201514934025 A US201514934025 A US 201514934025A US 9412280 B1 US9412280 B1 US 9412280B1
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- G01S19/38—Determining a navigation solution using signals transmitted by a satellite radio beacon positioning system
- G01S19/39—Determining a navigation solution using signals transmitted by a satellite radio beacon positioning system the satellite radio beacon positioning system transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
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Definitions
- the present invention in general is related to autonomous delivery systems and methods. More specifically, the present invention is related to the use of inexpensive cooperative navigation systems and methods for delivery of packages via unmanned aerial vehicles at a precise desired delivery location.
- Remote shopping offers many benefits including allowing customers to shop from literally anywhere in the world, eliminating the costs associated of having to ship, store, and sell items from traditional retail store locations, and allowing manufacturers and distributors to reach a larger target market at a lower cost and higher margin than by traditional retail locations.
- remote shopping has some drawbacks and, among such drawbacks, the lag time between purchasing an item and having it delivered is a major one. Most of the goods purchased by remote shopping need to be delivered to the users at home or at business place and this can take days or longer. Companies are attempting to minimize the delay between purchase and delivery by offering same day delivery in certain cities. However, this can be very costly and inefficient as it requires a large number of individuals on call to go out and deliver items as they are purchased.
- Drones can be used to carry and deliver small to medium sized packages, directly to known locations, using global positioning system technology, telemetry, metadata and/or commands from a remote operator. Once purchased, these drones promise to be much more cost effective than human delivery via foot, bike, truck, etc., and will likely be faster as they can bypass traffic and are not limited to following paved roads.
- drones will rapidly become a viable technology for many delivery services and companies.
- one of the potential problems of using drones to deliver packages is its failure to deliver at a customer controlled address.
- any two customers can have desired delivery locations very close to each other.
- a specific desired receiving area maybe adjacent to other potential receiving areas, perhaps separated by less than a meter, and drones or other autonomous vehicles may fail to deliver packages accurately at such delivery addresses.
- GPS Global Positioning System
- the high accuracy navigation systems are very expensive, consume a lot of power and size and, thus, are a hurdle in implementing those systems in commercial utilization of autonomous package delivery system.
- Some other systems and methods for autonomous delivery vehicle navigation which do not require very high initial investment. But such systems need electric power and proper maintenance.
- some landing zone indicators use electric lights to indicate their location. These indicators consume high amount of electricity and are often accompanied by dedicated generators. Hence, this won't be appropriate for a consumer who does not want to actively maintain his landing zone, or supply it with power.
- Some landing zone indicators use lasers which also consume much power. This also won't be appropriate for consumers who do not want to actively maintain their landing zone, or supply it with power.
- an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for high accuracy delivery of payloads at desired locations by autonomous delivery vehicles through inexpensive and easy to implement navigation system.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for delivering payloads to a specific location with high accuracy by cooperation between the payload delivery system and the delivery location.
- Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for delivering payloads at a landing zone wherein the landing zone require no power to announce its position.
- Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for precise delivery of payloads at a target landing zone wherein the target landing zone requires no maintenance.
- a further object of the present invention is to provide a central database to store GPS location, unique identity of landing zone and unique user code for facilitating fast and easy communication of information for precise delivery of payloads to a specific location.
- a still further object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for delivering payloads to a specific location which works for several types of delivery vehicles like drones and other autonomous vehicles.
- Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for precise delivery of payloads at a target landing zone as desired by a customer among a plurality of landing zones associated with other customers and located in close proximity to the target landing zone.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a feedback system and method for confirming delivery of a payload at a desired location by an autonomous delivery vehicle.
- the present invention is directed to a system and method for safe and effective delivery of a payload at a precise location by autonomous delivery vehicles.
- a machine-readable unique identifier such as a barcode
- optionally affixed to a substrate is laid at a place (e.g., top of a building or backyard, driveway or any other place where an autonomous vehicle can deliver) where a user wants delivery of a consignment.
- the recipient prints out a unique barcode for display at the landing zone.
- the user can print out a unique identifier on a common home computer printer and then download and install a mobile app, hereinafter referred to as precise delivery app, on a mobile computing device such as a smartphone from a precise delivery system server through a network.
- a mobile app hereinafter referred to as precise delivery app
- the user can open the precise delivery app, activate the smartphone camera or scanner and, standing near the unique identifier, scan the unique identifier.
- the precise delivery app reads the unique identity of the unique identifier and also collects the GPS location or geophysical location of the smartphone or the location where the unique identifier is placed.
- the GPS location of the smartphone or the geophysical location of the user determined delivery address can be considered as the approximate location of the unique identifier.
- the unique identifier information which includes the unique identity of the unique identifier and the geophysical location of the unique identifier, can be sent to the precise delivery system server where this information gets stored.
- the precise delivery system server for each user registered with the precise delivery system server, the precise delivery system server generates a user code and the unique identifier information is stored associated with this user code corresponding to each user ID or user code.
- the unique identifier is pre-associated with data referring to the contents of the delivery which the drone or drone controller checks for accuracy prior to final release of the payload.
- the user needs delivery of an item from a third party at the place where he/she has positioned the unique identifier, he/she can send the unique identifier information to the third party system directly or the user can send only his/her user code to the third party system and the third party system will be able to retrieve the unique identifier information from the precise delivery system server based on the user code.
- the third party system can feed the unique identifier information of the target unique identifier; that is, the unique identifier where the user is requesting delivery of a payload by an autonomous delivery vehicle.
- the autonomous delivery vehicle includes a navigation system comprising a first prior art navigator and a second scanner navigator.
- the autonomous vehicle carrying a payload, determines its route to the approximate location of the target unique identifier with the help of the first prior art navigator.
- the second scanner navigator scans each and every unique identifier that may be present around that location to locate the unique identifier that matches the unique identifier of the target unique identifier as fed by the third party to the autonomous delivery vehicle. If the autonomous delivery vehicle succeeds in locating the target unique identifier the second scanner navigator system, optionally in coordination with the first prior art system, guides the autonomous delivery vehicle to the target unique identifier where the delivery of the payload can be made.
- the system and method of the present invention offers an inexpensive solution for a highly accurate autonomous delivery of a payload at locations desired by a user and the system and method can be adopted for implementation at a large scale commercial use.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a unique identifier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 2 illustrates a unique identifier placed on the roof of an apartment building in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 3 illustrates a general architecture of a cooperative system for precise autonomous delivery that operates in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 4 illustrates an autonomous delivery vehicle approaching a cluster of residential buildings carrying a payload based on prior art navigation methods
- FIG. 5 illustrates an autonomous delivery vehicle electronically scanning and searching for the unique identifier for precise landing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and optionally includes a data exchange mechanism, here the vehicle optically or electronically scans and searches for the unique identifier which includes data on location, payload, and other delivery information;
- FIG. 6 illustrates an autonomous delivery vehicle landing on a target zone based on unique identity of the target location in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart depicting the general steps associated with the method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary system of collecting an acknowledgement by an autonomous delivery vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 9A illustrates an additional electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 9B illustrates the additional electronic device of FIG. 9A attached to a mobile computing device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- a unique identifier can be assigned to or associated with a particular user which, when detected by an unmanned aerial delivery vehicle such as drones or by any other aerial/ground autonomous delivery vehicle, can be used to precisely locate a delivery location desired by the user when the drone comes within a certain distance of the location of the unique identifier.
- the unique identifier is machine-readable and may be recognizable in any of the frequencies which lie within the electromagnetic spectrum including radio frequency, light, heat, etc.
- the unique identifier can be an optical machine-readable code lying in the visible range, such as a barcode 110 as shown in FIG. 1 , to which a user specific data can be associated with.
- the unique identifier may be a code lying in the ultra violet frequency range recognizable by an ultra violet scanner or it may be a code lying in the infra red frequency range recognizable by infrared scanners or it may be a code recognizable by a vibration scanner.
- the unique identifier, such as the barcode can be a factory printed one or it can be generated by a user at home using any commonly known barcode generation device such as a home computer and printer or by using any common manufacturing methods.
- the unique identifier will be mostly required to remain at the outdoors and also since the material on which the unique identifier is printed on is likely to be a thin material (e.g., a piece of paper), such thin material having the unique identifier can be attached to a comparatively heavier, long lasting, weather resistant substrate.
- the piece of material with the unique identifier 110 is attached to a piece of substrate 105 .
- the substrate 105 can be of any suitable material, color, size and dimension.
- the substrate 105 can be of square size with two feet each side and the material can be a piece of blue color tarpaulin.
- the substrate 105 can be provided with a pocket to accommodate material containing the unique identifier.
- a piece of paper with the unique identifier print can be inserted by a user into the weather proof pocket of the substrate and the user will have the liberty to replace the unique identifier as and when needed while keeping the substrate unchanged.
- the unique identifier itself without the use of any substrate, can be placed at a location where a delivery is desired.
- a device e.g. smartphone, tablet or any other similar device
- an electronic display can also be used to display the unique identifier.
- a mobile phone or tablet can be placed at a desired delivery location with the unique identifier displayed at the display screen of the device.
- substrate is used herein to refer to any material or object to which the unique identifier may be affixed/attached to.
- unique identifier will be used to refer to the unique identifier alone or to the combination of a unique identifier and a substrate.
- the unique identifier can be in the form of a fixed or reprogrammable Radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip which is mailed to frequent users of the system.
- RFID Radio-frequency identification
- These dedicated unique identifiers may offer added convenience and reliability for frequent users and can be designed to receive and transmit the delivery data and location and can be changed on the fly for multiple locations.
- FIG. 3 illustrates the general architecture of a cooperative precise delivery system 300 that operates in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
- a mobile computing device 200 is connected to a precise delivery system server 302 via a network 314 .
- the precise delivery system server 302 communicates with the mobile computing device 200 over the network 314 to present a user interface for the cooperative precise delivery system of the present invention.
- the user interface of the cooperative precise delivery system of the present invention can be presented on the mobile computing device through a web browser or through a native mobile application communicating with the precise delivery system server 302 and is used for displaying, entering and/or managing data.
- the term “network” generally refers to any collection of distinct networks working together to appear as a single network to a user.
- the term also refers to the so-called world wide “network of networks” or Internet which is connected to each other using the Internet protocol (IP) and other similar protocols.
- IP Internet protocol
- the exemplary public network 314 of FIG. 3 is for descriptive purposes only and it may be wired or wireless.
- the description may refer to terms commonly used in describing particular public networks such as the Internet, the description and concepts equally apply to other public and private computer networks, including systems having architectures dissimilar to that shown in FIG. 3 .
- the inventive idea of the present invention is applicable for all existing cellular network topologies or respective communication standards, in particular GSM, UMTS/HSPA, LTE and future standards.
- the precise delivery system server 302 may include any service that relies on a database system that is accessible over a network, in which various elements of hardware and software of the database system may be shared by one or more users of the system 300 .
- the graphical user interface (GUI) or user interface provided by the precise delivery system server 302 on the mobile computing device 200 through a web browser or mobile app may be utilized by the users for signing up, logging in and submitting data, etc.
- the components appearing in the precise delivery system server 302 refer to an exemplary combination of those components that would need to be assembled to create the infrastructure in order to provide the tools and services contemplated by the present invention.
- the precise delivery system server 302 includes an application server or executing unit 304 and a data store 312 .
- the application server or executing unit 304 comprises a web server 306 and a computer server 308 that serves as the application layer of the present invention. It would be obvious to any person skilled in the art that, although described herein as the data being stored in a single database, different separate databases can also store the various data and files of multiple users.
- the Web server 306 is a system that sends out Web pages containing electronic data files in response to Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests from remote browsers (i.e. browsers installed in the mobile computing device 200 ) or in response to similar requests made through a mobile app or mobile application of the present invention installed on a mobile computing device 200 .
- the web server 306 can communicate with the mobile app of the present invention and/or with a web browser installed on a mobile computing device 200 to provide the user interface required for the cooperative precise delivery system 300 .
- the mobile computing device 200 comprise a first processor (not shown in the figures) and this first processor is configured to execute one or more instructions stored in a computer readable storage medium included in the mobile computing device 200 .
- the description of the cooperative precise delivery system 300 may refer to terms commonly used in describing particular computer servers, the description and concepts equally apply to other processing systems, including systems having architectures dissimilar to that shown in FIG. 3 .
- the mobile application or “mobile app” is a computer program that may be downloaded and installed in mobile computing device 200 using methods known in the art.
- the mobile app of the present invention is referred to as precise delivery app.
- the precise delivery app enables one or more persons to do various tasks related to the cooperative precise delivery system of the present invention.
- Examples of mobile computing device 200 may include, but not limited to mobile devices, tablets, hand-held or laptop devices, smart phones, personal digital assistants or any similar devices.
- the mobile computing device 200 may include various electronic components known in the art for this type of device.
- the mobile computing device 200 may include a device display 330 , a camera, a scanner, a geospatial location sensor (e.g., Global Positioning System-GPS sensor), a first processor, user input device (e.g., touch screen, keyboard and/or other form of input device known in the art), a device transceiver for communication, a computer readable device memory and the precise delivery app operably installed in the computer readable memory (not shown in figure).
- a device display 330 a camera, a scanner, a geospatial location sensor (e.g., Global Positioning System-GPS sensor), a first processor, user input device (e.g., touch screen, keyboard and/or other form of input device known in the art), a device transceiver for communication, a computer readable device memory and the precise delivery app operably installed in the computer readable memory (not shown in figure).
- a device display 330 a camera
- the term “transceiver” is defined to include any form of transmitter and/or receiver known in the art, for cellular, WIFI, radio, and/or other form of wireless or wired communication known in the art. Obviously, these elements may vary, or may include alternatives known in the art, and such alternative embodiments should be considered within the scope of the claimed invention.
- the mobile computing device may be detachably fitted with an additional electronic device (e.g. a “dongle” or a small sensor) 900 as shown in FIG. 9A that plugs into one of the ports of the mobile computing device 200 as shown in FIG. 9B and interfaces with the software (e.g. with the mobile application of the present invention) using the device as the main computing power.
- an additional electronic device e.g. a “dongle” or a small sensor
- This electronic device could provide additional capability of sensing/scanning and transmission not typical to a common mobile computing device.
- Examples of the additional capability of sensing/scanning and transmission include, but are not limited to, RF sensing or transmission, pattern transmission or recognition, heat convection or sensing, or other types of transmission and scanning. It is envisioned this type of device would be sent to regular or high volume users of the service provided by the present invention.
- third party system 322 represents computer system of any third party which is involved in the process of delivering consignment/payload to a specific location/address as desired by a user/customer.
- Examples of a third party may include, but are not limited to, an e-commerce company, a postal service, an emergency service, etc.
- the third party system 322 is communicatively connected to the precise delivery system server 302 over the network 314 .
- FIG. 3 further illustrates an autonomous delivery vehicle 324 .
- a drone is referred to by numeral 324
- autonomous delivery vehicle 324 is used herein to refer to any ground autonomous vehicle or aerial autonomous vehicle which is unmanned and is able to carry a consignment/payload for delivery at a location.
- autonomous delivery vehicle autonomous vehicle
- autonomous vehicle autonomous vehicle
- drone drone
- the autonomous delivery vehicle 324 can also remain in two-way communication with the third party system 322 .
- a user 205 can get a unique identifier in various ways.
- the user 205 may buy the unique identifier 100 from the market where the unique identifier may or may not be affixed to a substrate.
- a user 205 may receive a unique identifier from the third party system 322 in printed form or in electronic form through email or text message etc. and the user 205 may, optionally, get the unique identifier affixed to a substrate or may put the unique identifier received in electronic form on display on an electronic display device (e.g. on the user's smartphone 200 ).
- unique identifier 100 can be placed at a location where the user wants delivery of a payload.
- FIG. 2 illustrates a unique identifier 100 placed on the roof of an apartment building.
- the unique identifier may further comprise information/data related to the contents of said payload/item to be delivered.
- the user 205 is shown using a smartphone, which is a mobile computing device 200 , with the precise delivery app installed on the smartphone 200 .
- the GUI provided by the precise delivery app on the device display 330 enables the user to enter user details 318 , register/sign-up with the precise delivery system server 302 , and then login as a registered user.
- the precise delivery system server For every registered user, the precise delivery system server generates a unique user code or user ID as in step 716 of FIG. 7 and the precise delivery app receives this user code on the mobile computing device 200 as in step 710 of FIG. 7 .
- the user 205 is required to stay near the unique identifier 100 and scan the unique identifier 100 with the help of the camera or scanner of the smartphone 200 as in step 704 of FIG. 7 keeping the precise delivery app on the smartphone 200 open as in step 702 of FIG. 7 .
- the precise delivery app decodes the unique identity of the unique identifier 100 as in step 706 of FIG. 7 and, optionally, displays the same on the device display 330 .
- the app also gathers the geographical coordinate/GPS location data of the location where the smartphone 200 is at that moment through the GPS sensor of the smartphone 200 .
- the precise delivery app associates the geographical coordinates of the location of the smartphone 200 with the unique identity 320 of the unique identifier 110 and instructs the first processor of the smartphone 200 to send these data to the precise delivery system server 302 over the network 314 as in step 708 of FIG. 7 .
- the geographical coordinate/GPS location data and the unique identity 320 may be sent separately to the precise delivery system server 302 and those may be associated with each other by the processor 310 at the precise delivery system server 302 .
- the user code created for a registered user is associated with the information such as GPS location, user address etc. sent from the smartphone 200 .
- geophysical location information which includes, preferably, but non-limitatively, the GPS location, user address etc., so associated with the unique identity, can be provided to the precise delivery system server 302 or to the third party system 322 in various other ways by the user.
- the mailing address of the user can be provided to the third party system 322 directly while the user buys something from the third party system 322 .
- the third party system 322 or the precise delivery system server 302 can use the user's Internet Protocol (IP) address to determine the physical location of the user when the user makes communication over the network.
- IP Internet Protocol
- the cell tower associated with the user's mobile device can be used by the third party system 322 or the precise delivery system server 302 to get information on the physical location of the user.
- the GPS information, mailing address, cell tower defined address or any other specific information that can help in finding the approximate location of the unique identifier, where a user is requesting delivery of a consignment/payload, are hereinafter referred to, individually and/or collectively, by a term “geophysical location information”.
- the user 205 is allowed to send the unique identity and geophysical location information of the unique identifier 100 to the third party system 322 directly as in step 712 of FIG. 7 using the precise delivery app installed in the smartphone 200 .
- the user can also opt to send his/her precise delivery system server generated user code to the third party system as in step 720 of FIG. 7 .
- the precise delivery system server 302 as in step 714 of FIG. 7 , associates the user code with geophysical location information and stores such information in the server data store 312 . Based on this association, if a third party system 322 sends a user code to the precise delivery system server 302 , the third party system 322 can retrieve the geophysical location information of the user as in step 718 of FIG. 7 .
- the geophysical location information and other relevant information including information on the identity and content of the delivery of payload, name and mail address of the user etc. can be entered by a user 205 manually to a computing device such as home desktop computer or similar devices instead of using a mobile computing device.
- This information can then be sent to the third party system 322 and the third party system 322 , in response, can generate a unique identifier in electronic form and send the unique identifier information in electronic form to the user 205 .
- the user 205 can then take a print of the unique identifier information for display at a desired location.
- unique identifier 100 shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 used by the user 205 is referred to as unique identifier 100 C in FIG. 4 , FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 in the present example.
- unique identifier 100 A a plurality of other unique identifiers 100 having different unique identities are referred to as unique identifier 100 A, unique identifier 100 B, unique identifier 100 D, unique identifier 100 E and unique identifier 100 F etc.
- the user 205 buys an article online from an e-commerce website (e.g., eBay, Amazon) which will deliver the article at the buyer's place by using an autonomous delivery vehicle 324 (e.g., a drone 324 ).
- the server system of the e-commerce website from which the user 205 has bought the article is referred to as third party system 322 in the present example.
- the user 205 resides in a locality 402 which comprise a cluster of residential buildings.
- the user 205 places the unique identifier 100 C at the top of the building 404 where there is placed another unique identifier 100 D by a different user in close proximity (e.g., 2-3 meters away) to unique identifier 100 C.
- unique identifiers 100 A, 100 B, 100 E and 100 F placed by other users of the precise delivery system of the present invention.
- Standing near the unique identifier 100 C user 205 opens the precise delivery app in a mobile computing device 200 (e.g. a smartphone 200 ) as in step 702 of FIG. 7 and scans the unique identifier 100 C with the camera or scanner available with the smartphone 200 as in step 704 of FIG. 7 .
- the precise delivery app running in the smartphone 200 reads the unique identifier 100 C as in step 706 of FIG. 7 .
- the precise delivery app also collects the GPS location of the smartphone 200 as determined by the geospatial location sensor of the smartphone 200 and this GPS location also represents the approximate GPS location of the unique identifier 100 C.
- the user 205 now has to communicate the unique identifier information which includes GPS location or the geophysical location information and unique identity of the unique identifier 100 C so collected by the precise delivery app to the third party system 322 . It is assumed that the user 205 is a registered user of the precise delivery system server 302 and that the user 205 has a user code or user ID generated by the precise delivery system server 302 for him/her as in step 716 of FIG. 7 .
- the precise delivery app sends the unique identifier information of the unique identifier 100 C to the precise delivery system server 302 as in step 708 .
- the precise delivery system server 302 all such information are stored in server data store 312 as in step 709 of FIG. 7 .
- the precise delivery system server 302 also associates the user code of the user 205 with the geophysical location information and unique identity of the unique identifier 100 C sent from the smartphone 200 of the user 205 as in step 714 of FIG. 7 .
- the user 205 sends the unique identifier information which includes GPS location and unique identity of the unique identifier 100 C to the third party system 322 directly from the smartphone 200 of the user 205 as in step 712 of FIG. 7 .
- the user 205 sends to the third party system 322 just his/her user code from the smartphone 200 as in step 720 of FIG. 7 and allows precise delivery system server 302 to share his/her stored details with the third party system 322 against receipt of any such request.
- the third party system 322 then sends the user code of user 205 to the precise delivery system server 302 and retrieves the required information such as geophysical location information and unique identity of unique identifier 100 C as in step 718 of FIG. 7 .
- the third party system 322 feeds the geophysical location information and unique identity data of the target unique identifier 100 C in the present example where the user 205 wants the payload to be delivered, to the autonomous delivery vehicle 324 as in step 722 of FIG. 7 .
- the third party system 322 uses a drone 324 which is an autonomous delivery vehicle and has an onboard navigation system which comprises a first prior art navigator (not shown in the figures) and a second scanner navigator 326 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- the scanning methods used by the second scanner navigator 326 to scan the unique identifiers includes, but are not limited to, optical scanning, ultra violet scanning, infra red scanning, vibration scanning.
- the target unique identifier information i.e. the geophysical location information and unique identity of the target unique identifier 100 C, fed by the third party system 322 , is kept stored by the navigation system of the drone 324 for determining the route to the desired landing location.
- the drone 324 carrying the payload 328 (the article bought buy the user 205 in the present example) first navigates to the locality 402 guided by the first prior art navigator which uses commonly known navigation techniques such as dead reckoning navigation, compass navigation, visual landmark-based navigation, satellite navigation, radio navigation, as in step 724 of FIG. 7 , to approach the approximate location of the unique identifier 100 C as shown in FIG. 4 .
- the prior art low cost navigation techniques used by the first prior art navigator would not be able to guide the drone 324 to the precise location of the unique identifier 100 C where the user 205 desires delivery of the payload 328 . Therefore, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG.
- the second scanner navigator 326 starts scanning the area around the target geophysical location which, in the present example, is the area around the geophysical location of the unique identifier 100 C as in step 726 of FIG. 7 .
- the second scanner navigator 326 may comprise a camera which is capable of zooming into a particular object of interest and, in some other embodiments, the optical navigator may include other optical scanning devices also.
- the processing unit of the onboard navigation system of the drone 324 continuously compares all the unique identities of the unique identifiers 100 A, 100 B, 100 C, 100 D, 100 E and 100 F etc., as in step 726 of FIG. 7 , scanned by the second scanner navigator 326 to locate the unique identifier which matches the unique identity of the target unique identifier as fed by the third party system 322 .
- the target unique identifier is unique identifier 100 C and as soon as the second scanner navigator 326 identifies it by matching the unique identity of it with that stored in the memory of the navigation system of the drone 324 , the second scanner navigator 326 continuously keeps track of the target unique identifier and navigates the drone 324 to the unique identifier 100 C for landing and/or delivery of the payload 328 as in step 728 of FIG. 7 .
- This cooperative navigation between the target unique identifier and the autonomous delivery vehicle makes it possible to deliver the payload 328 at the precise location where the user 205 wanted it to be.
- the autonomous delivery vehicle 324 can receive an acknowledgement against successful delivery of the payload 328 at the desired location where the target unique identifier is positioned.
- the autonomous delivery vehicle 324 can receive this acknowledgement in various ways.
- the unique identifier apart from having the unique identity, geophysical location information and the payload details, may further comprise another electronic code. This electronic code may be made available with the unique identifier for scanning (optical scanning, IR scanning etc.) by the autonomous delivery vehicle 324 once the delivery of the payload is made at the unique identifier.
- Another way of acknowledging receipt of a payload at a desired location is to provide a receipt in a physical form (such as paper receipt or receipt printed on other similar materials) at the desired location which can be collected by the autonomous delivery vehicle once the payload is delivered.
- the autonomous delivery vehicle 324 may collect the physical receipt 810 using a magnetic or friction device such as a robotic hand or hook 815 .
- the physical receipt 810 can be contained in a custom container 805 for ease of pick up.
- the receipt (electronic or physical receipt) is not displayed until the payload is delivered, either by the recipient (user) manually or electronically displaying it after drop off of the payload, or automatically by a simple mechanism that uncovers or displays the receipt after the package touches down on a lever or a switch.
- This two way communication hand-shake could mark the receipt of the correct payload, a verification of receipt of high value goods and so on. It can also help differentiate between different deliveries to the same location, such as when a single family requests deliveries of two different items, or in an apartment building where multiple families order multiple items, but they have the same landing pad—effectively the same address.
- the cooperative navigation provided by the system and method of the present invention through cooperation of the delivery location (by means of having the unique identifier) with the second scanner navigator 326 makes the delivery of payload by the autonomous delivery vehicle safer.
- the autonomous delivery vehicle may fail to navigate through obstructions which may come on its way to the destination delivery location. Also, due to inaccurate navigation, the autonomous vehicle may fail to travel to the exact desired location and, instead, may land at some distance away from the desired location making the situation unsafe.
- the cooperative navigation of the present invention helps in overcoming these problems as the autonomous delivery vehicle makes the delivery precisely at the desired location. So, if the unique identifier is positioned at a safe location, the cooperative navigation system and method of the present invention makes the delivery of payload by autonomous delivery vehicle safe.
- safe location is used herein to refer to places which can offer obstruction-free passage to an autonomous delivery vehicle and, also, which are not considered hazardous/dangerous to any living being or property if an autonomous vehicle travels to those places.
- the cooperative precise delivery system 300 of the present invention provides some distinct advantage over the commonly know autonomous delivery systems and methods.
- the unique identifiers having the unique identifiers can be mass produced, are inexpensive, need no external power, requires no or little maintenance but can still facilitate precise and safe delivery of a payload through autonomous delivery vehicles. Additionally, the present invention offers the flexibility of shifting the desired consignment delivery location as per user's wish depending upon the requirement.
- the system and method of the present invention can also be used for picking up of a payload or package by an autonomous vehicle from a specific location.
- the autonomous vehicle will be able to find out the exact location from which a payload is to be picked up by locating the unique identifier laid at the desired place.
Abstract
Description
Claims (24)
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EP3357052B1 (en) | 2023-07-26 |
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USRE48294E1 (en) | 2020-11-03 |
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